Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1887-04-01
EXPRESS ROBBERY.
The Frotheringham Incident Eclipsed
on the West Shore Road Near
Utica, New York.
The RObber Boldly Enters the Express
Car, Shoots the Messenger and
Rifles the Safe.
No Clue to the PerpetratOr,

UTICA, N. Y, March 3O-"Telegraph
Hutt that have been shot and robbed"
were the words uttered by Express Mes
senger Lake, running train 56 on the West
Shore road, which arrived in Utica at 11:16
tonight, when he was found in his car
bleeding freely from wound in his shoul-
der. While the tram was making the run
between Clark's mills and the city, which
only occupies about seven minutes,
party of men boarded it between the bag
gage and express car, shot the messenger
and attempted robbery, but with what re-
suit, or how severely the man is injured,
could not be learned, as a stop Of only
three minutes was made here and all was
confusion. When the train reached
the town of Frankfort, nine miles
east of here Lake was attended by ply
sician. The would-be robbers escaped, but
it is believed they secured no pIunder.
Later information is to the effect that
there was but one assailant. He entered
the car and ordered the messenger to throw
up his hands. The latter did not at once
comprehend him and the robber shot him.
He then gagged and bound him and rit1ed
the safe, but the amount secured is not yet
known.
UTICA, N. Y, March 31.-The local ex-
press officials decline to state the amount
OF the loss sustained in yesterdays rob-
berry. Agent Bushnell reached Utica to-
day at noon. He was reticent, but admitted
a loss of about $1,000. Other statements
fix the loss at about $4,000. 1t is believed
that the rObber entered the car near Oneida
castle, where the grade is heavy. The
messengers statement that the rObber en-
tered by the side door Is not believed. The
platform door of the car was not fastened
by chain as it should have been when the
train reached Utica The messenger SAID
he was sitting at his open safe when he
was attacked. His description of the
robber talles perfectly with that given by
Night Agent Barger of a masked man who
robbed his drawer of about Sis on March
18th.
Government Employees Can Ride Free.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-The attorney
generals opinion is that the inter-sta te
commerce bill will not effect the postal
service, but is in regulation of commerce
only, and concludes as follows: GAS the
act does not include the mail service in its
provisions. none of the lawful, customary
and necessary lnstrumentaitle by which
that service is conducted are subjected to
the law. Among the lawful, customary
and necessary instrumen talities for the ef
ticient, consistent and successful conduct
of the service, the postoffice department is
authorized by law to send officers, agents
and clerks OF the government to take
charge Of protect and distribute the mails;
to search for and investige errors, frauds
or crimes relating to them. Persons thus
employed, when in the line of duty or
when in pursuance thereof, going TO or re-
turning from their places of residence
or from their assigned line of duty, in the
ordinary and customary course of admin
istratiOn of the service, should be regarded
as in the performance Of official labor and
unaffected by the provisions of the act'